The state withheld "highly significant" evidence in a 1994 trial that convicted two of the three Crittenden County teenagers for the murder of three 8-year-old West Memphis boys, attorneys for one of the men convicted for the 1993 murders wrote in a petition to the Arkansas Supreme Court.
In a 17-page petition filed at the Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday, attorneys for Jason Baldwin ask the state's highest court to address evidence they wrote was withheld by the prosecutor during the time of the trial.
West Memphis police contacted San Diego police about the possibility of the wounds on the three boys being caused after death by animals, according to the petition.
Animal predation is a theory recently promoted by experts for the "West Memphis Three."
In a November press conference, Dr. Werner Spitz, an expert for the defendants who has performed or supervised nearly 60,000 autopsies, maintained that wounds on the three boys were due to animal claw marks.
During the trial, the state argued that the wounds were caused by a knife as part of a satanic ritual.
But the discussion between the two police departments about animal predation was not disclosed to the defense.
"It would be highly significant exculpatory evidence if the police and/or prosecution had considered animal predation as a cause of injury, or had investigated the issue prior to trial or during the post-conviction litigation, and had not revealed such information," wrote J. Blake Hendrix and John Philipsborn, attorneys for Baldwin. "Baldwin has been informed that a police officer from the San Diego Police Department claims he was contacted by West Memphis police officers before trial, which led to a discussion of animal predation as being of concern to investigators in this case.
"If such information, or information like it, is in the hands of the state, that information should be made known now."
The petition also disputes assertions made by the state about a knife found in a lake at the Lakeshore Trailer Park in November 1993 - the likely murder weapon, the state argued at the trial.
During the trial, Arkansas Assistant Medical Examiner Dr. Frank Peretti testified that the wounds on the three boys were consistent with injuries made by a serrated edge knife like the one found in the lake.
But attorneys for Baldwin wrote that at least two witnesses testified that the knife was thrown into the lake before the murders.
"Also, one of the members of the law enforcement dive team has indicated the officers were given precise directions on where to find the knife," the attorneys wrote.
In the petition, attorneys also dispute testimony from Michael Carson, a boy who was housed with Baldwin in a juvenile detention facility, where Carson told investigators that Baldwin gave him details about the murders.
Attorneys for Baldwin wrote that the two boys were only housed together on one occasion. During their brief stay together, the pair were under the supervision of a staff member who was among about 10 people who said they did not hear the alleged statement, according to the petition.
"One staff member, the former Unit supervisor (who was there 1993-4, the relevant period of time) has reported that she was actually told by law enforcement personnel to leave town at or near the time that she might have been called as a witness for the defense," the petition said.
The petition also focuses on the reliability of Michael Degeglielmo, a former DNA scientist who testified at the trial.
Degeglielmo is no longer involved in the practice "in part because of the questions that arose (in cases other than this one) about the reliability of his work," according to the petition.
The attorneys argue that the scientist gave "misleading" testimony that conformed to the state's argument about sexual abuse of the three victims.
In July, the results of DNA testing of crime scene evidence in the slayings showed no connection to the three local teenagers convicted in the killings.
A report filed by Second Judicial District Prosecutor Brent Davis stated that the only material that did not belong to the victims was a hair found on a victim's shoelace that likely belonged to Terry Hobbs, step-father of one of the victims.
Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley are currently serving life sentences for the murders, while Damien Echols has been sentenced to the death penalty.
Circuit Judge David Burnett has scheduled hearings for Sept. 8 through Oct. 3 for DNA and forensic evidence for the three men.
Attorneys for the "West Memphis Three" were ordered to submit all of their motions by Friday.
Burnett has told attorneys for the state and the three men that they would be held in contempt of court for any news account attributed to them outside of the courtroom proceedings.

They 'have' their 'uses'...(conspiracy theory?)